The Community Pharmacy Agreement 2025 was published recently, promising a new era for pharmacy in Ireland
The Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD, recently published the Community Pharmacy Agreement 2025, following the successful conclusion of negotiations with the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU). This landmark agreement supports the delivery of safe, equitable, and efficient healthcare, and ensures that community pharmacists are better equipped to contribute to national health priorities through structured engagement, sustainable funding, and integrated service delivery, said the Minister. The agreement is supported by a €75 million new investment across 2025 and 2026.
Recognition
Speaking on the publication, the Minister for Health said: “Community pharmacies are at the heart of our healthcare system, they are among the most trusted and accessible healthcare professionals. This agreement recognises their vital role and sets out a meaningful pathway to expand services, improve access, and modernise how care is delivered.”
Key features of the Agreement include:
- Expanded services: Community pharmacies will play a greater role in contraception, immunisation, bowel screening, and the safe return and disposal of unused medicines.
- Digital integration: Pharmacies will actively support national eHealth reforms, including the National e-Prescription Service and National Electronic Health Record.
- New funding: €25 million in 2025 and €50 million in 2026 will support fee adjustments, service development, and training.
- Strategic collaboration: A new collaborative framework will be established to support the shaping and implementation of community pharmacy services.
The Agreement also introduces new fees and allowances for participating pharmacies, supports the training and development of pharmacy teams, and a programme of work aimed at reducing administrative burdens on community pharmacies.
‘Constructive start’
The Minister added: “This agreement will make it easier for people to access timely care in their communities.
It reflects our shared commitment to innovation, public health, and sustainable investment. It will further support community pharmacies in diversifying their health service offerings, business models and revenue streams.”
Meanwhile, the IPU welcomed the publication of the Agreement, describing it as a “constructive start to pharmacy’s expanded role in healthcare”.
“Community pharmacies are a vital gateway to healthcare, providing trusted, accessible support at the heart of every community,” said the IPU. “This new agreement recognises the importance of the pharmacist’s role and sets out a clear pathway to ensure patients can benefit even more from the services community pharmacies provide in a modern healthcare system.”
Over the coming months pharmacies will deliver a range of expanded services designed to improve patient care. These include:
- A Common Conditions Service, enabling pharmacists to prescribe treatments for a range of common conditions.
- Involvement of community pharmacy in the national pneumococcal vaccination programme.
- A nationwide service for the return and safe disposal of unused medicines will be introduced through community pharmacies.
‘This is the first increase in pharmacy fees in a generation, and it is much needed’
Pharmacies will also play a greater role in the delivery of key public health measures, such as targeting improved uptake of the national BowelScreen service supporting earlier detection and disease prevention. A number of other services will be delivered downstream.
Welcoming its publication, IPU President Tom Murray said: “This agreement marks a major step
forward for community pharmacy and the patients we serve. It brings long overdue investment, recognises the vital expertise of pharmacists, and opens the way for new and expanded services in every community in the country.
“By strengthening the role of pharmacies, it makes healthcare more accessible and ensures patients get the care they need quickly and conveniently.
“Pharmacists are medicine experts. This Agreement puts that knowledge to work for patients, making it easier to access more of the services they need, when they need them, in the convenience of their community pharmacy. This will make everyday healthcare easier and free-up capacity in the wider health service,” continued Mr Murray.
Investment
The agreement includes an uplift in dispensing fees for existing services under the community drug schemes, along with new payments for expanded services. These changes will help ensure pharmacies remain financially sustainable and facilitate for investment in staff, services, and patient supports.
“This is the first increase in pharmacy fees in a generation, and it is much needed. It recognises the vital role pharmacies play and helps keep services sustainable.
“The agreement will also support the digital transformation of our health service by integrating community pharmacy into national digital health systems and streamlining work processes.
“We welcome the commitments to reduce unnecessary red tape and to invest in the digitalisation of health services. These measures will allow our highly-trained pharmacists to spend more time delivering direct patient care.”
Concluding, Mr Murray paid tribute to the pharmacists of Ireland, saying: “Pharmacists have been saying for many years that we are ready, willing, and waiting to do more for patients. I commend the profession for its ambition and commitment to patient care.
“This agreement delivers real benefits for patients, provides meaningful support for pharmacies, and strengthens Ireland’s health service. Now it is essential that every element of this deal is implemented without delay, and we look forward to continuing our ongoing engagement with the Department of Health and the HSE to ensure this happens.”
